And Then There Was One
by Nahavia
Summary: Some things just aren't stronger than the bonds created throughout many years of friendship.


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Inuyasha, just this plot.

A/N: I don't really think this should be rated T; I'm just being cautious.

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"Talking"

'Thoughts'

'**Inner demon'**

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And Then There Was One

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Silence.

The three stood in utter silence, one with her mouth agape and tears running down her angelic face, one with a triumphant smirk on his face, and the other…. Well, his face was completely blank, except to her; she could read his eyes; she knew he was in pain.

And then there were two.

He left. He did not utter any cruel words; he just walked away, proving once again that he was the better man. That's when the screaming began, effectively stopping him in his tracts, but they didn't know that.

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"What is wrong with you Inuyasha?" Inuyasha was slightly taken aback; she had never yelled at him before.

"What's wrong with **me**? What's wrong with **you**? That bastard deserved it. You're mine! You should be backing me up, not questioning me."

"I am not a possession; you best remember that. No one deserves what you just did, especially not Sesshomaru!" He just stared at her in disbelief. Anger was slowly creeping up on him like an animal stocking its prey.

"Especially not Sesshomaru? How can you say that? He has ruined my life!"

"Ruined your life? How is making you work to achieve success 'ruining your life?' You can't have everything you want handed to you on a silver platter."

"If that bastard doesn't have to work to get what he has, why should I? My father just handed the business over to him. He didn't have to work for any of it!"

"Is that what you really think? Open your eyes Inuyasha; it might do you some good. Like you said, your father gave you everything, so you shouldn't be complaining! Your brother…"

"Half brother…"

"Your **brother** has had to work for everything he has. While **you** were out playing as a child, Sesshomaru was going to work with your father, observing the business. While **you** were out with your friends and fucking around, **he **wasat home studyingso **he** could get into the best college. While **you** were here mooching off your father and being pampered to your heart's content, **he** was in college and working at your fathers company, slowly working his way up, learning the ins and outs of the business. ** He **took no short cuts Inuyasha! Your father gave you a job there without any experience; you didn't even go to college, and you got one of the highest paying positions there. Sesshomaru had every right to fire you when he took over. You sucked at your job. Someone was always cleaning up your messes. You have worked for nothing, you deserve nothing. He still works his ass off every day; I have to force him to go home every night!"

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Sesshomaru stood leaning against the wall next to the closed door, swelling with pride. 'She's defending me.' As the fight progressed, he could sense her anger increasing drastically. He had seen her mad before; they had been together for twenty five years after all.

She has been his personal secretary sense he took over three years ago, so they spent a great deal of time together, not that they hadn't before. There were only two times he had seen her this upset, but never this angry.

He could only imagine what she looked like right now. Her eyes tended to take on a pure white color when she got really mad, and there was this glow about her that made her look like a goddess.

A smirk appeared on his face as he heard a snarl come from her delicate throat. 'She has defiantly been sending too much time with me.'

'**I'd say not enough time.'**

'Don't even start. We have been over thins already; she is with the half breed.'

'**Not for much longer.'**

'Hn… We shall see.'

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"And how do you know all of this wench?"

"I've known him for a long time Inuyasha, longer than I've known you. I was there for him as a child. I was the one to comfort him even when he tried to push me away. I was the one who stayed up all night with him, studying for our entrance exams. I was there every time he was sick, every time he needed me. I was there when our mother died. I was and still am there for him on the anniversary of her death. I was there, not two hours after her death, when your father brought your whore of a mother here. And imagine our surprise and anger when he brought you as well. You were ten Inuyasha, and we were eleven. Imagine our pain when we realized that your father had gotten your mother pregnant just months after Sesshomaru was born. I was there for him…"

"My mother is not a whore. Sesshomaru's mother was the whore." A loud slap resounded thought the room, effectively cutting Inuyasha off.

"How dare you! You did not know our mother; you have no right to speak of her in such a way. She was faithful to your father up until the very end, even when she discovered his infidelity," Lowering her voice to a menacing growl she continued, "If you ever speak of her in such a way again, I swear, to all that's holy, you will regret it."

After recovering from his shock, he said the thing he knew would hurt her the most, "Why do you keep calling her your mother? You have no mother; you killed yours remember?"

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Sesshomaru recoiled as if he had been struck.

What the half breed had said about his mother had angered him, but he calmed when Kagome came to her defense. His anger turned to pride as she threatened him.

But what he said next… That's what made him recoil. "…You have not mother; you killed yours remember?"

Never had Sesshomaru felt such shame in sharing the half breed's blood. Never had he felt such regret, such guilt, and he wasn't even the one to speak those horrendous words.

He knew what happened to Kagome's mother, and he knew that despite what everyone said, she still blames herself. She had only been five at the time; it wasn't her fault. He should know he had been there.

- Flashback-

"Look sweetie, it's Kagome and her mother." Sesshomaru looked from his mother to the place he sensed his best friend. They had known each other since birth. Their mothers were good friends, and, to their joy, had gotten pregnant at the same time. Oddly enough, Jade and Sakura, his mother, had given birth on the same night, the children being only minutes apart.

Sesshomaru noted that Kagome was wearing her favorite dress; it was midnight blue and had a white dog on it. When he had asked her about it, she had said it was her favorite because it looked like him.

She was also sporting her trademark smile. When she noticed him, her eyes widened slightly, and her grin stretched farther across her face, if that was possible, as she began to tug on her mother's dress and bounce up and down, pointing at him with her free hand.

In response Jade, Kagome's mother, turned towards them and waved.

That's when it started.

Multiple gunshots rang out throughout the building, and people, both human and youkai, began running and screaming. A few more rounds went off and everything went silent. Three bodies lay on the floor, lifeless.

Five youkai appeared, all with guns. Sesshomaru might have been young, but he still knew what was going on. This was a bank hold up.

One man began making demands while the other four moved to grab four hostages, pointing a gun to each of their heads. That's when he heard his mother gasp in horror. Then he smelled a familiar scent. He'd know that scent anywhere. It was Kagome's tears. He looked to her fearing the worst, but his brow furrowed in confusion. There she was, standing alone. Then he looked to where she was looking and saw her mother; Jade had been grabbed up by one of the bank robbers.

Everything that happened next occurred as if in slow motion. A few of the stronger youkai reacted to the threat, preparing to attack.

Two shots were fired; the two bodies falling lifeless to the ground in front of the shooters. The youkai who were going to attack stopped in their tracks, watching as the shooters grabbed two more people to replace the dead ones. The only noise that could be heard was Kagome's crying. The man holding her mother turned to her and said calmly, "If you don't cease your noise making your mother will be next."

She tried to stop, really she did, but she was terrified.

Another shot rang out, and another thud was heard as Jade joined the other bodies which had fallen only seconds before her.

A heart wrenching sob left Kagome's throat, and that's when he felt it. He felt like he was being burned, purified to be exact.

Her miko powers had surfaced. As soon as he felt the burning sensation, it was gone, replaced with a warm one. That didn't seem to be the case for the five bank robbers. Apparently she was able to distinguish between friend and foe. In a matter of seconds they were gone, nothing but a pile of dust, and Kagome was left on her knees with a haunted look in her eyes. She was broken; both of her parents were gone now.

His beast urged him to go to her, to comfort her, to lend her his strength, to help her heal. He would have done it even if his beast hadn't been around.

He rushed to her and embraced her, allowing her to sob into his chest as he ran his hands through her hair. If one were watching this scene, they would have guessed that the two little ones were older than they really were. Sakura soon followed her son, silently vowing that she would treat Kagome as her own pup from this day forward.

-End Flashback-

'Those few minutes cost her much.' He was brought from his memories by her soft voice.

"You're right Inuyasha. And just as I have killed my mother, you have killed any chance of having a decent relationship with your brother. I offer you my congratulations, and I hope that you're happy." 'That's my girl. Don't let him see you cry. Don't give him that satisfaction.'

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"Sesshomaru is a very proud man; he has every right to be. He came here, putting his pride aside, in an attempt to better your relationship with each other. You have absolutely no idea how difficult this was for him, and you do this!" She said, waving her hands around the room.

-Flashback-

"Do you want me to go in there with you Sessh?" When he was with her, he let his icy façade drop. He could never hide anything from her anyway, so what's the point in trying.

"If you wouldn't mind, it would be appreciated." She stepped forward and embraced him; he returned the gesture without hesitation.

"We've been through so much together. This is no different; we give each other the strength we need to do things we wouldn't normally be able to do. I'm here for you, just like I've always been, just like you've been there for me. My relationship with him will never change that." He just tightened his grip on her and breathed in her scent, allowing it to calm him. He pulled away.

"Thank you Kagome."

She just shook her head, "You would do the same for me."

And she was right. She was the only person he would do anything for. That's why he was in this situation to begin with. She seemed to like the half breed a great deal, and he knew that it upset her when they fought because she had to pick sides. Generally his side. She always felt obligated to sooth the half breed afterwards though.

So… He was going to make amends. They were at his family reunion and this seemed to be as good a time as any.

They continued on their way towards Inuyasha's room. Before they could even knock, he opened the door and dragged Kagome in, placing her behind him as he snarled, "What the hell do you want?"

"I wish to speak with you."

"You wish to speak with me? Did you come to challenge me for Kagome? Is that why your scent is all over her?"

"I…"

"Don't even bother Sesshomaru. I know you're jealous. You've always been jealous of me. Especially the love I receive from father. He always did love me more. Did you ever find it strange that he went on so many out of town 'business trips?' He was with me and **my** mother." What Inuyasha was saying had nothing to do with anything. He was Just bringing up anything he could to hurt his brother.

"So while you got to grow up with just your mother, I got father. I got his love and attention, and what did you get? You got nothing. The only reason he had you was because he needed a heir. He's got that, and now that you've taken over the business he has absolutely no reason to be involved with you. Tell me, before he invited you here, when was the last time he contacted you?"

"…"

"That's what I thought. He didn't love your mother, and he doesn't love you. You two were simply a means to an end. You're not wanted here Sesshomaru; do everyone a favor and leave."

What Inuyasha said rang true, and Sesshomaru knew it. It hurt, there's no doubt about it, but he wouldn't let it get to him; that's what the half breed wanted; he never gave the half breed what he wanted. He wasn't about to start now.

He looked to Kagome because he smelled that familiar scent of her tears. He always hated her ears. He moved the slightest bit and she began to shake her head; she always did know what he was going to do. He wouldn't leave the house, just the room. With a slight upturn of his lips, directed towards her, he walked out the door.

-End Flashback-

"You make it sound as if you love the prick."

"That's because I do Inuyasha. I have ever since we were little. The only reason I'm with you," she emphasized her words with a sharp jab to his chest, "is because I know what I can and cannot have." After a short pause she continued, "I'm done Inuyasha. I'm done with this, and I'm done with you."

With that said, she turned and walked to the door. Before she could turn the knob, she felt a clawed hand clamp around her upper arm and yank her backwards. Before he could say anything she charged her arm with her miko powers, effectively scorching his hand, forcing him to release her.

And then there was one.

As soon as the door shut behind her, she let herself fall to the floor, and allowed her pent up tears, invoked by the painful memory of her mother's death, stream down her face. She was startled when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her frail body, but calmed upon hearing a familiar purr.

"So you heard all of that huh?"

"Yes little one, I did. I am very proud of you. I must, however, disagree with you on one point you made." Her brows furrowed in confusion, "I do not believe you know what you can and cannot have." She looked up at him, surprise clearly written all over her beautiful features. "You are mine. You always have been. Our mothers used to say that we were each other's destiny, and they were right." With that, he leaned down and captured her lips in a gentle yet possessive kiss. She responded immediately and beautifully.

Pulling away, he flared his aura and licked her forehead, cheeks, neck, chest, and wrists, marking her with his scent. There would be no mistaking who she belonged to.

She just smiled up at him, pure happiness rolling off her in waves. Nuzzling her neck affectionately, he picked her up with one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back. She placed her head on his chest as he began to walk.

Sesshomaru's destination was the front door; there was no reason for them to stay now. As he reached the sitting room, he groaned inwardly. Kagome felt him tense and raised her head to see the problem. Their thoughts were the same 'Shit. They heard everything too.' The room was filled with Sesshomaru's family. Their facial expressions were limited to: shock, sadness, disappointment, towards Inutaisho, hatred, towards the half breed, as well as approval and pride towards the two of them.

Toga's face was turned towards the ground, so his expression was hidden. It was still quite obvious that he was ashamed.

Sesshomaru began to walk again, and right as he reached the door Inutaisho spoke, "Sesshomaru…" When he didn't continue, Sesshomaru opened the door and walked out, not looking back once.

He would have his mate before the day's end. She was all he would ever need. As she said before, they had been through so much together, leaning on each other for support. And now they would have forever. They would continue to be each other's strength.

They would live, and they would love.

End

A/N: Thanks for reading; tell me what ya think. I hope I didn't bore you too badly.


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